Page 77 of Crash into me
Adeline returns, and her scrubs remind me of the time I spent in the hospital. The memory brings me shivers.
Sophie stomps her foot, tears glistening his eyes. “You’re a liar!” she yells out, surprising us all. “You said this was magic! You said whenever you would show mom and dad, they would drop everything to take you on a Foster day.”
Fosters olive cheeks show a tinge of pink.
“She’s not wrong,” Adeline tells him.
He agrees with a nod. “You’re right. Go take a shower and get dressed. We’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
Sophie, getting her way trots into the bathroom. “Eww!” she yells out. “Bubba!”
We both rush in after her, and Adeline is curious too.
“What is it?” Foster asks.
She points to the wall, going to put her finger on the wet paint. Adeline tugs her hand back. “No, that’s black mold!” She shoves us all out of there. “Everyone, away from the bathroom!” she orders, a nurse at heart.
We step into the kitchen.
“We can’t stay here,” Adeline decides. “I’ll call someone to take care of it.”
“You’ve gotta get to work. Let me handle it,” Foster offers.
Adeline puts her hand on her forehead. “I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
Foster, feeling terrible for having to do any of this to his family, pulls her into a hug. “I’ve got it, Grams. Just go to work.”
She looks between us. “You two stay out of there. Don’t try to clean it.”
“Promise.” I grin. “We’ll leave in a few minutes.”
Sophie pouts. “Now I can’t shower.”
“I have dry shampoo!” I sing, grabbing my purse.
We’re going to have Adeline and Sophie stay at Rita and Mario’s for the time being. We need to keep them safe, and now we can use his grandma’s place for our headquarters. Since Mrs. Rita opened back up her daycare and Adeline works long hours, this is honestly a better option for their sanity right now anyways.
I French braid Sophie’s hair on the porch. “Where are we going?” I ask her.
“So, it’s too hot for the zoo.” She talks with her hands, just like her brother. “I don’t feel like going to the beach and getting all sandy.” She shakes her shoulders. I laugh as I pull her hair into a long braid, hearing her discuss how thoroughly she’s thought this through.
I’m going to try to pull a page from Foster’s parents. Whenever there’s a voucher, everything else is put aside. In mine and Foster’s case, we’re going to put the Keeper’s threats aside to give Sophie a day she deserves. She’s been in the hospital for months, and this will be her first reintroduction into the world.
“Aquarium?” I suggest.
She turns her head just as I tie a small band around the end. “Perfect!” She jumps up, but then her lips roll into a frown. “Do you think my bear is full of mold?”
“No.” I smile. “Your bear was perfectly safe. Go grab him!”
* * *
The aquarium,surprisingly, is pretty empty. Perks of going on a weekday.
A loud bang sounds from a little construction, and I flinch. Although I’m giving this moment to Sophie and trying to not allow the fear of the Keeper to sink in, he’s put a stain of worry on my heart that won’t quite allow the threat to become untethered.
“This is beautiful.” I trace my fingertips along the thick glass, watching all the tropical fish swim under neon lighting. The jellyfish are my favorite part, though, dancing and swirling all around their tank.
But it kind of reminds me of myself. Their only job is to look pretty inside their little prison. But I have to remind myself that this is a sanctuary; only animals that can’t be released into the wild are sent here. They don’t bring in new life unless they have to for rehabilitation.